Denim Plant Row May Hit Others
The Age
Monday October 3, 1994
A double-barrelled industrial row at one of Victoria's major denim, canvas and fabric suppliers could force large sections of Victoria's textile industry to shut down by the end of the week.
About 600 workers at Bradmill Undare's Yarraville fabric factory were stood down by the company last Friday after 35 maintenance workers went on strike over a pay claim.
A maintenance and metal union picket line has prevented supplies from entering or leaving the plant since last Wednesday, forcing the 600 stand-downs.
Now the 600 are refusing to return to work unless they are paid for the time they are stood down.
A Textile Clothing and Footwear Union organiser, Mr Brendan Soraghan, said two manufacturers who use Bradmill textiles were likely to have to stand down workers today.
Unions at the plant have been in dispute with the company over a 12 per cent pay claim.
Mr Soraghan said that negotiations over the wage claim had been continuing for some months. Last Wednesday, however, Bradmill employees who were members of maintenance and metals unions went on strike in support of their separate 14.5 per cent wage claim.
The chief executive officer of Bradmill Undare, Mr Alan Kerr, said the picket and strike had inflicted significant losses on the company.
© 1994 The Age